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Peggy Thomas gives your students a glimpse of Thomas Jefferson that might surprise them! |
English/Language Arts
Explore writing prompts - using the calendar
Sometimes it’s difficult for students to think up things to write about. A solid go-to idea for a writing prompt is to have students explore the events from a day in history and then write about that. Have them look up their birthday and see if they can find an interesting reading and writing trail!
Social Studies
Explore US History - early trade and agricultural economy
This is a great Minute to start a round table discussion about the economic challenges of running a country. Introduce the concepts of imports, exports, trade, tariffs and balance. What challenges do your students see? What are the challenges specific to an agricultural economy? How have the challenges of balancing trade changed as we have moved from an agricultural, through industrial and manufacturing, and now technology and service based economy?
STEM
Explore agriculture - growth conditions
This Minute discusses the challenges of growing things if the conditions are not suitable. Use this Minute as a starting point for discussing the things that growers need to be aware of in order to successfully cultivate crops. Then have your students identify a crop suitable to growing conditions you can imitate and try their hand at growing something. How do their seeds react when water is increased or decreased? When soil is fortified with additional nutrients? When the length of light exposure is increased or decreased?
Explore non-native species
Thomas Jefferson was looking for ways for the US to become economic players in a global economy and thus brought non-native species to our shores in an attempt to cultivate them into cash crops. Non-native species are not always, however, a good thing. Have your students investigate the potential challenges of bringing non-native species to grow on our soil. Can they find examples that have been problematic? What kinds of things should we think about before making these kinds of decisions?
FCS/Nutrition
Explore Rice - nutritional value and types
Rice is a food staple for many cultures around the globe. Have students investigate the many types of rice and their corresponding nutritional value. Are some rice choices better than others? Why? Do they all process the same way? How about cooking? Is there a standard way to prepare rice? Let your student have some fun with rice.
Explore international cooking
Have your students create recipes with items that are not native to their country. Challenge them to first identify non-native foods, and then find a nutritionally balanced way to prepare them!
Research Skills
Explore Monticello
Thomas Jefferson’s plantation, Monticello, is a World Heritage site, a museum, and an international research center. Give your students some time to do a virtual exploration through their extensive website.
Explore writing prompts - using the calendar
Sometimes it’s difficult for students to think up things to write about. A solid go-to idea for a writing prompt is to have students explore the events from a day in history and then write about that. Have them look up their birthday and see if they can find an interesting reading and writing trail!
Social Studies
Explore US History - early trade and agricultural economy
This is a great Minute to start a round table discussion about the economic challenges of running a country. Introduce the concepts of imports, exports, trade, tariffs and balance. What challenges do your students see? What are the challenges specific to an agricultural economy? How have the challenges of balancing trade changed as we have moved from an agricultural, through industrial and manufacturing, and now technology and service based economy?
STEM
Explore agriculture - growth conditions
This Minute discusses the challenges of growing things if the conditions are not suitable. Use this Minute as a starting point for discussing the things that growers need to be aware of in order to successfully cultivate crops. Then have your students identify a crop suitable to growing conditions you can imitate and try their hand at growing something. How do their seeds react when water is increased or decreased? When soil is fortified with additional nutrients? When the length of light exposure is increased or decreased?
Explore non-native species
Thomas Jefferson was looking for ways for the US to become economic players in a global economy and thus brought non-native species to our shores in an attempt to cultivate them into cash crops. Non-native species are not always, however, a good thing. Have your students investigate the potential challenges of bringing non-native species to grow on our soil. Can they find examples that have been problematic? What kinds of things should we think about before making these kinds of decisions?
FCS/Nutrition
Explore Rice - nutritional value and types
Rice is a food staple for many cultures around the globe. Have students investigate the many types of rice and their corresponding nutritional value. Are some rice choices better than others? Why? Do they all process the same way? How about cooking? Is there a standard way to prepare rice? Let your student have some fun with rice.
Explore international cooking
Have your students create recipes with items that are not native to their country. Challenge them to first identify non-native foods, and then find a nutritionally balanced way to prepare them!
Research Skills
Explore Monticello
Thomas Jefferson’s plantation, Monticello, is a World Heritage site, a museum, and an international research center. Give your students some time to do a virtual exploration through their extensive website.
© Karen Sterling, 2018 - May be used for educational purposes without written permission
